How It Ain't So Funny
by CallMeKiera
Summary: Shelby realizes that Rachel's life is not what she thought it was. This is a story about finding hope in the darkest of times. See warnings inside.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: I've been feeling listless this whole weekend due to that fact that my mother and I cannot be near each other for more than five minutes without fighting. It just take a lot out of a person. So I decided, instead of sitting around and letting myself fall into a funk (for lack of a better word), to just take 3 hours out of my day and write this AU, feel-good mother daughter story about my fav mother/daughter duo on my fav television show, even though I hate RIB and most of the plot lines on the show. **

**Other things to note: Like I've said before, I'm currently working on a multi-chapter Rachel/Shelby story somewhat similar to this one but set in a different universe. I'll post it as soon as I finish writing it because I don't want to post part of a story that I'm too lazy to finish...So long story short: I'll post it if I finish it. **

_**TRIGGER WARNINGS: Very brief mentions of character death (Deaths are not Rachel and Shelby though so no worries). There is straight up verbal abuse, mentions of physical abuse, and a somewhat descriptive, but very brief, rape scene. **_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee or any of it's affiliates. If I did, it wouldn't be Glee, it would be the Idina Menzel show. Any grammatical errors, untrue facts, and/or unrealistic situations are all my mistakes that I take full responsibility for. This is simply just a product of my imagination that I want to share with those who are willing to be a part of it. **

**Last but not least, ENJOY!**

Rachel sat in front of the headstones, just staring at their names. Leroy Berry, beloved husband and father, RIP. Hiram Berry beloved husband and father, RIP. She couldn't believe it had been two years already. Two years of sheer and utter loneliness and sadness. With every passing day, she longed more and more for her fathers, for anyone, to love her, to take care of her. She loved Finn, yes, and knew that she was tethered to him for some reason or another, but they were taking a break, and despite all of this, she longed for something more than just physical affection from a boyfriend, she longed for care and affection from a parent. Someone that she could just act like the little kid she was at heart around, and who would take care of her.

But Rachel was smarter than that, she knew that ever since her fathers had died, she was never going to be able to get something like that with anyone. Since none of her relatives wanted anything to do with her purely for the fact that she was the spawn of two gay men, Rachel was entered into the system immediately after her fathers were pronounced dead and has been bounced around from foster home to foster home for the past two years. This reason for this being that she craved attention, and the only way she got it was through misbehaving. If she got in trouble in school, or with law enforcement, her foster parents were forced to take action and shower her with attention, even if it did take the form of punishments and lectures...not that the fosters actually cared about what Rachel did and didn't do, they only cared that if they were called into school to deal with something that Rachel had done, it meant that one, their reputations as payable foster parents would be diminished and two, it meant that they had one or two less hours to drink and smoke before their 6 kids of all different ages (Rachel being the eldest) came home from school and they had to listen to screaming kids complain that they were hungry.

Rachel finally trudged into McKinley High School at least two hours late. She didn't care. She was feeling particularly nostalgic about her fathers today and wanted to go see them. Just as she was finished getting her books from her locker, Emma ran up to her telling her that she needed to go to Figgins office.

"Look, if this is about me being late," Rachel said "I was just at the cemetery".

"Look, I don't know what this is about Rachel, all I know is that you, Finn, and Puck were all called into Figgin's office and I have been running around this school trying to find you for the past 20 minutes".

Rachel sighed. She knew Emma meant well and was doing everything she could to help Rachel not feel so miserable all the time, but Rachel was tired of people just looking out for her because they were legally obligated to. She wanted her dads back because they looked out for her because they genuinely loved her. Her foster parents hated her, and they made that quite clear every time they beat her for misbehaving.

"I'll go their right now" Rachel said turning back to Emma. Emma smiled, satisfied with Rachel's answer turned around and headed the other way towards her own office.

Rachel made the slow trek towards Principle Figgin's office and opened the door to a very unnerving scene in front of her. Puck and Finn were sitting in next to each other in two chairs that were lined up in front of Figgin's desk, both with their respective mothers standing behind them. Puck's mom was practically trembling and looked very disturbed. Rachel decided not to read too much into her demeanor remembering that Puck had mentioned on numerous occasions that his mother was a very emotional person. Then there was Carol. She just looked downright pissed. She stood behind Finn's chair, practically towering over him which was strange because Finn was taller than her. It made Rachel very uneasy. And then, there was an empty chair on the other side of Finn. Rachel face went ghost white and she practically jumped out of her skin when she saw Shelby standing behind it. She took her seat in the chair knowing it was intended for her once the whole pattern of each of the moms standing behind their respective children registered with her.

She didn't make eye contact with Shelby as she scanned the rest of the room. Sue was standing next to Figgins, practically fuming and Will was sitting on the couch with his face buried in his hands. Rachel giggled at the irony of it.

"There is nothing funny about this Barbara!" Sue finally shouted breaking the ice. "You and your little glee-freaks have committed a felony!"

"What are you talking about?" Rachel shouted back in a mocking tone. "Please Ms. Berry let's wait until one of your parents gets here so we can get started with this meeting". Rachel gave Figgins a perplexed look as she turned around to Shelby. Even though Shelby wasn't legally her mother, and they hadn't talked since singing Poker Face, Rachel assumed that Shelby was here to represent her parental unit as her physical position in the room indicated as such.

But Rachel was proven wrong when her foster mother Drea burst into the room. "What the hell did you do now?" She demand pushing Shelby aside. Drea yanked on the young girl's pony tail forcing Rachel to face her. "Ow! and I don't knooooow" Rachel whined. Shelby immediately snapped into action. "Get your hands off of her!" Shelby said yanking Drea's arms off of Rachel. Rachel looked at her mother and heart fluttered as Shelby protected her from the looming physical pain she was going to endure by perhaps just delaying for the time being. "Why don't you mind your own business lady" Drea responded, turning to look at Shelby. "Well you know what, it _is_ my business because you happen to be putting your hands on my dau-" Shelby was cut off by Figgins.

"Good Rachel Berry's mother has finally arrived" Figgins announced referring to Drea in his ever-so endearing Indian accent. "EXCUSE ME?" Shelby exclaimed looking to Rachel for some kind of explanation. "Look Rachel, I know you and I haven't been on the best of terms lately, but" Rachel finally looked her birth mother, "Not now, Shelby, please." Rachel pleaded with her words and eyes, addressing her mother for the first time. Shelby's jaw was practically on the floor as she then looked to Will for an explanation. He just shook his head in shame.

Figgins finally got down to business about the whole slashing Vocal Adrenaline's tires (and Rachel realized that Shelby was present in this meeting to represent Vocal Adrenaline, not her mother. She mentally berated herself for getting her hopes up) with frequent interruptions from Sue who further exacerbated the situation budding in with accusations of the three students being delinquents and undisciplined and any other insult she could think of. Everyone pretty much ignored her as she was just being over the top and obnoxious. The meeting was finally concluded with Finn agreeing to pay Shelby back the money by working for it. She agreed only because she knew the sooner this issue could be resolved, the sooner she could talk to Rachel.

As soon as Figgins dismissed everybody, Sue stormed out, unhappy with the fact that the three of them weren't hauled off to juvie, Puck and Finn were escorted out by their mothers, only earning themselves a smack on the wrist and an empty threat to not try anything like this again. Rachel, on the other hand, was terrified for her life. "Let's go, you worthless piece of trash" Drea said yanking Rachel up by the shoulder of her t-shirt. "Wait until your father gets ahold of you". Rachel winced at Drea referring to her foster father as her real father. Her only real fathers were buried in the earth right now she thought, and she's at the mercy of Drea, and Shelby's perceptiveness and determination.

"There's no need to talk to her like that" Will finally butted in following them into the hallway with Shelby hot on his trail. Just then, Rachel felt herself gently being pulled from Drea's painful grip and felt Will's arms wrap around her shoulders. Next thing she heard was a slap and she looked up at Shelby, who eyes were ignited with fire and fury. "If you call my daughter a worthless piece of trash one more time, I will gladly go to prison for murdering the likes of you". Drea put her hands up sneering "I don't know what mental institution you escaped from but Rachel belongs to me so get your own foster kid to pay for your drug addictions, cause I know Rachel pays for mine and I'm not giving her up". Shelby almost lost it, but Will pushed Rachel behind him as he put his arms around Shelby to restrain her from doing something stupid that would prevent her from getting Rachel back should she pursue it.

"Let's go you dumb whore" Drea said walking over to Rachel taking hold of her arm and escorting her out. As they approached the door, Drea paused letting go of Rachel, "Ugh I need a smoke. Stay here Rebecca while I go outside, and if you don't, it'll be the last thing you do". Drea warned. "IT'S RACHEL!" Rachel screamed after her.

By the time it took for all this to happen, at the other end of the hallway, Will had quickly explained to Shelby that Leroy and Hiram had passed away two years ago and Rachel had been bounced around from home to home ever since.

Rachel slid down the wall and sat on the ground with the tears falling from her eyes as she listened to Will and Shelby's conversation as it echoed down the hallway. "WHY THE HELL DIDN'T ANYONE CALL ME?" Shelby screamed. "TWO YEARS AGO I WAS PRACTICALLY ABOUT THE COMIT SUICIDE OVER THE FACT THAT I THOUGHT I WOULD NEVER GET MY CHANCE WITH HER, AND NOW YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT THE SAME TWO YEARS AGO MY BABY NEEDED ME MORE THAN EVER!" Shelby was out of breath by the end of this. "I'm sorry Shelby, you didn't like, exist when this all happened to Rachel at the beginning of her Sophomore year". Will began awkwardly.

"But I did by the end of it! You could have told me then!" Will ran his hands through his hair out of frustration. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be taking this all out on you but, I just love her more than anything in this entire world and I just wish I knew that she needed me as much as I needed her. I just wish I hadn't walked away". Rachel heard every word of this and started to sob. Rachel had wanted to hear this from Shelby ever since the day she met her. And now she finally had. She wanted her mommy to take her home and love her. But life just wasn't that easy on her.

Shelby scurried down the hallway to Rachel just as Drea literally picked up Rachel and carried her out kicked and screaming. Shelby reached out, but was too late, the tips of her fingers just quick enough to brush by Rachel's outstretched hand.


	2. Chapter 2

Drea pulled into the driveway of their falling apart home. There were only two bedrooms and a small den. Drea and her husband lived in the den, while the three girls lived in one room and the three boys lived in the other.

Rachel quickly ran up to her room hoping to avoid her foster father. She heard Drea come in a explain to him what happened at the school today. Then Drea left to go out drinking. As she heard the door close, Rachel had a bad feeling at the pit of her stomach, she knew Drea was mean, but her punishments were nowhere near as-forceful as her foster father's were. Rachel climbed to her top bunk of the bunk bed and curled herself up under the thin blanket praying to a God that she didn't even believe in that Will and Shelby would come to her rescue.

She heard him climb the stairs, she squeezed her eyes shut and hoped when she opened them she would be laying in her bed at home with her fathers by her side. But that didn't happen. The door swung open and he stood their with his beer. It was just them two in the house, her foster brothers and sisters were not yet home from school. He loosened the belt on his pants and climbed up to Rachel's bed. She begged. She pleaded. She tried to compromise and reason with him. But ultimately, he was too strong. She closed her eyes and tried to picture Shelby singing I Dreamed A Dream to her.

_I dreamed a dream and time gone by_

_When hope was high and life worth living_

She tried as hard as she could to let that warm memory engulf her as she felt her clothes being removed. She then felt a sharp pain and the hot tears fell from her eyes. She imagined Shelby holding her hand saying "I'm here with you the whole time", but she knew it was only her imagination and she couldn't convince herself otherwise. She could hear herself crying. But everything that was happening now was just a complete out-of-body experience. It was like she was watching this happen to her instead of actually feeling it. She was quickly pulled back into reality when she heard a sound that was not coming from the man who was on top of her. All of the sudden she then felt that weight being lifted from her, the incessant pain coming to a quick halt. She was still crying and screaming when she sat up to see a police officer dragging her foster father out of the room. She felt someone take her blanket and wrap it around her body and lift her out of the bed. She heard voices, many of them telling her that everything was going to be okay and that "we're just gonna take you to the hospital to get checked out".

"Please, I don't need to go to the hospital" Rachel said as she was being laid down on a stretcher. She realized a paramedic was wheeling her out of the house. There were so many strange faces around her and she was in desperate search of just one. Shelby.

"Sweetheart you're not in trouble, we just need to check you out".


	3. Chapter 3

A friendly, dark-skinned woman wearing a suit whom Rachel had never seen before held Rachel's hand as she was being poked and prodded by a gynecologist. Rachel stayed silent as she stared into the woman's eyes. This woman was the first person who had shown her any kind of care that Rachel could mistake as love in a long time. She felt bad for not talking to the woman, but the woman made it clear that Rachel was under no pressure to talk but the woman was here to listen to anything she had to say if she wanted to say something. Rachel appreciated this, but wanted to stay silent for the time being.

She was dressed in a hospital gown, but when the extensive exam was over, a soft pair of cotton pants and a thick long-sleeved shirt, and socks were brought to her, the dark-skinned woman helped her put them on and then gently helped her out of bed. Curious as to where they were going she looked up at the woman and finally spoke.

"I really appreciate you staying with me during this difficult time." Rachel was trying to keep her poised and polite demeanor about her because she really didn't want the closest thing she had to a mother right now to leave her. "It's no problem angel, I'm going to give you my number, and if you ever need someone to talk to, don't hesitate to call me, no matter what time it is". This woman had a thick southern accent that made Rachel smile to herself. She took the woman's business card and read it over

Violet Allen

Psychologist for sexually assaulted Minors

Lima General Hospital

555-444-3333

' Of course, she's a psychologist. How could I not have guessed that?' Rachel thought to herself. "Thank you Ms. Allen" Rachel said with a smile and put the card in the pocket of her pants. "O Rachel dear, you can call me Violet". Rachel nodded. "So where you taking me?" Rachel said with slight fear in her voice as they walked down the hospital hallway. They passed many doctors who greeted Violet and smiled at Rachel wishing both of them a great rest of the day. Rachel could only roll her eyes. "Please don't take me back to the fosters". Rachel was driving herself to tears. Violet put her strong arms around Rachel as she continued to lead her down the hallway, holding her up just in case Rachel collapsed from this mini-panic attack. "Baby girl I would never do that, you will never see that house again, I promise". Rachel's crying was reduced to sniffles. "And I'm just taking you to the visitor area, there are some people here who have been demanding to see you". Rachel was perplexed. 'Who the heck wants to see me?' she wondered to herself. 'Maybe it's the Glee-club?' But Rachel didn't want to face her peers at this moment, all she wanted to do was to tuck herself away in a deep dark corner of this hospital and never see the light of day again.

Violet and Rachel walked down two long hallway filled with other patients taking a walk. Most of them toting IV drips. Rachel got more and more anxious not wanting to have to deal with curious high school students who just wanted the latest news so they could start making up rumors about her. She started to cry again and Violet held onto her trying to reassure her that her visitors genuinely loved her. "Here we are" Violet finally said leading Rachel into a room filled with chairs, a tv, and a coffee maker.

Rachel's whole world stopped for a moment as the sobs starting escaping her lips. Violet let go of Rachel and gently nudged her forward. Rachel couldn't have asked for two better people to visit her at a time like this. "Mommy" she cried. She wrapped her arms around a slightly surprised Shelby and cried into her chest as Shelby wrapped her arms around Rachel and covered the top of her head with kisses.

Shelby had hoped that Rachel would be happy to see her, but was almost sure of it that Rachel would flock to her other visitor, Mr. Shue, first. He had known her for quite longer and she thought Rachel would be more comfortable around him... that was really the only reason why she asked him to come along. But Rachel chose Shelby first, and that's when she was sure that the bond a daughter makes with her mother is never broken, no matter what. And this sentiment gave her hope.

Shelby couldn't help herself when she started to cry alongside with Rachel, scooping her up in her arms and sitting down on a chair, Rachel curled up in her lap. "I love you so much Rachel" Shelby cried. "Please don't ever leave me again" Rachel almost screamed in response. It was a muffled statement because Rachel buried her face into Shelby's hair, loving the smell of her shampoo. She thought it was silly, but the smell comforted her.

Violet and Will stepped out to give them some privacy and so Violet could somehow calm the furious person that was Will Shuester down. He was livid. All he could think about was murdering Rachel's foster father, but one look into Rachel's eyes made him melt and the only thing he wanted to focus on was Rachel finding happiness.

Back in the visitor room, Rachel's sobs subsided into hiccoughs, and Shelby finally got a chance to look at her daughter's beautiful face. She pushed Rachel's hair back and smiled. "Hi there gorgeous". Rachel smiled and could feel herself turning red from her mother's affection. She really never had anything like that before and didn't really know how to react to it.

Rachel looked down, reality hitting her again and remembered the real reason why they were their in this position. "I'm sorry. I should have told you about my dads the first time I met you instead of misleading you from the truth". Shelby shook her head and kissed Rachel's forehead. "Hey, none of this. All of that is irrelevant right now. The only thing that's going to happen now is I'm going to take you home, and you and I are gonna start over, start a new life together. No more of this foster parent nonsense when you have two real parents who love you more than anything in the world" Shelby said looking over to Will. "Life can be so beautiful Rachel, please give me the chance to give you everything that it has to offer". Rachel started to cry again as she snuggled into her mother. But they weren't sad tears. They were tears of joy and happiness from renewed hope.

Rachel looked at Mr. Shue and then back at her mother, and Shelby nodded. Rachel got up and walked to the door as Will opened it and walked in. Rachel smiled and wrapped her arms around the teacher she had considered to be a third father to her. He didn't need to say anything, as the look of sheer hope on her face said it all. He scooped her up in his arms much like Shelby did before and held her close. He then decided it was only appropriate to say "How would you like every single solo from now until you graduate". Rachel giggled and said sarcastically and with pretend disbelief "Now, Mr. Shue, that just wouldn't be fair to all the other kids that work so hard!".

Will just laughed as Shelby got up and created a group hug. Will shifted Rachel so she could be held with just one arm and took his other arm and wrapped it around Shelby. She followed suit wrapping one arm around Will and the other was resting on Rachel's back. Rachel rested her head on Will's shoulder and smiled at the scene in front of her.

Will and Shelby looked deeply into each other's eyes, and finally after what seemed like a century of just staring, Rachel finally picked her head up and looked at Will and ecstatically said "Just kiss her already!" And that's exactly what Will did. He captured Shelby's lips in a gentle and intimate, but passionate kiss. When they finally broke, they just continued to stare into each other's eyes.

"Mama-"

Shelby finally broke off the eye contact to dote on her daughter, rubbing her back and cupping her cheek, wiping away her stray tears with her thumb. "Mama" Rachel said again. Shelby could just sit and listen to Rachel say that word over and over again for centuries. Rachel pretended to whisper into Shelby's ear but purposely speaking loud enough for Will to hear.

"I think you should invite Mr. Shue over for dinner tonight. I think he may have a bit of a crush on you".

"O really Sunshine, well I hadn't noticed that. But now that you mention it, if Mr. Shue wants to come over for dinner, he's more than welcome". Shelby said throwing her head back and laughing.

Rachel loved it when Shelby laughed.

"But he's only allowed on one condition". Rachel continued, "he has to sit through Funny Girl at least once, even though you and I will watched it on repeat the whole evening". "You're a funny girl, Rachel Berry". Shelby said scooping Rachel up in her own arms again, planting a kiss on her temple.

"How about this," Will started "we can make it a musical movie marathon, we'll watch Funny Girl first, of course, but I'm gonna stop by a video store and pick up some of the best musical films ever made and we'll stay up all night singing along to them. Do we have ourselves a deal Ms. Berry?" Rachel nodded gleaming with happiness.

"Well, we'll see about _all night_" Shelby said letting her concerned mother side come out. "You need your sleep. And so does your ancient mother and her boyfriend". Shelby sneakily and seductively cocked an eyebrow Will's way, just quick enough for him to see and for Rachel to not. Will got the hint and quickly agreed with Shelby's statement.

Rachel was wheeled out of the hospital in a wheelchair that evening by Shelby, hand-in-hand with Will. The three of them knew it was going to be a long and painful road to recovery for Rachel after everything she had been through these past two years, but Rachel wasn't worried and neither was Shelby. Rachel knew her mom was going to be there for her every step of the way and Shelby promised herself she would never walk away from Rachel, ever, ever again.

As the three of them began their new lives together, Rachel thought about her and her mother's favorite movie, ' life really ain't so funny' she thought,' but that doesn't mean funny things won't happen that make life happy.' and right now, all Rachel had to do was look into her mother's eyes, and she knew she was on her way.


End file.
